Hot Summer Flowers...

The summer high temperatures are often a challenge for gardeners but with a little bit of planning and the right choice of plants, a summer garden can be filled with flowery fun.

During the months of July and August in this part of California, temperatures can be over 100 degrees but we still enjoy cool nights and lovely mornings.  A few flowers I chose for our home garden which perform well in these high temperatures year after year are hydrangeas, dahlias and zinnias.   The hydrangeas are planted in a moist area with partial shade, the dahlias in a semi-moist area with only morning light, and the zinnias in full sun with minimal water.  I find that these flowers keep our gardens filled with color during the hot days of summer.



This year the hydrangeas are all shades of pink which is the natural color the soil produces.  They start to flower in May and then fade to soft green and purple as the summer progresses.  By August they are a gorgeous shade of gray-green...



This bi-color hydrangea variety is a unique and vibrant addition to the summer garden with its striped petals and textural foliage.



The dahlias started blooming in July and will likely last through September.  Dahlias like plenty of sunshine but not too much heat so they are a perfect choice for a space with morning sun.

 

This Creme de Cassis dahlia is a new addition in our yard this summer.  It starts out a deep burgundy and fades to soft pink.



Zinnias flourish in sunny areas as they are tough enough to stand up to the heat.  They are available in a wide range of colors from bright yellow-orange to soft pink.  I favored this miniature peach variety for the full sun flower beds and have been so happy with the results.  Also, they require very little care and keep producing gorgeous blooms!